This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 102 02 984.9, filed on Jan. 26, 2002, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to the body structure of a motor vehicle, especially a passenger car, which is provided with deformation elements which extend at a distance from a longitudinal median plane of the vehicle, have several deformation hollow supports, one above the other in a height direction of the vehicle, and extend between a front region and a dimensionally stable passenger compartment.
A body structure of a motor vehicle is known from German Patent Document DE 30 38 920 A1 (and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,914) and has a supporting system extending between a front and a transverse wall of a passenger compartment. The supporting system comprises walls, extending outside of a central longitudinal plane of the motor vehicle, disposed upright over the whole height of a front section, each wall having an inner part and an outer part and, for the collision-related energy absorption, two deformation hollow supports, which are superimposed when viewed in the height direction of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,224 discloses a front section of a motor vehicle, which has, within the wheels, an upper and a lower longitudinal support per longitudinal side of the vehicle. These longitudinal supports lead away from regions of the body, which are adjacent to the passenger compartment, and end in fork-shaped sections of mounting supports, which are aligned with free ends to a shock absorber.
It is an aspect of the invention to create deformation elements for a body of a vehicle, which, in the case of concerted energy absorption, have a simple construction and can easily be integrated in a body structure.
Pursuant to certain preferred embodiments of the invention, this aspect may be accomplished in that each of the deformation elements has a first, lower deformation hollow support, a second, middle deformation hollow support, and a third, upper deformation hollow support, the deformation hollow supports connecting relatively short cross-members and, in an end region averted from the front region, being connected through a mounting plate with a transverse wall of the passenger compartment. Further distinguishing features, developing the invention, are contained hereinbelow. The main advantages, achieved with certain preferred embodiments of the invention, are seen to lie therein, that the three deformation hollow supports of the deformation elements absorb energy functionally efficiently in the event of a collision. A deformation element, so fashioned, is distinguished by the fact that it can be exchanged easily, for example, in the deformed state, and by a clear construction, only conventional measures being required for integrating into a body structure or for connecting it with a passenger compartment. The fact, that the deformation hollow supports and the cross-members are formed by assembled half shells, contributes to the relative inexpensive manufacture of the deformation element. Finally, the mounting plate and the mounting devices produce an effective connection with the deformation hollow supports and also with the transverse plate of the passenger compartment.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.